2008-09-23 13:30:00, Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth, Commodity Online
Indian agriculture is facing a policy paradox. It has been primarily characterised as a means of subsistence, small investments, small return and a source of livelihood for the rural households.
Till recent past element of commerce was limited to a few commercial crops such as jute, sugarcane, cotton etc to provide raw material for particular industries rather than fulfilling the household needs.
Whereas India’s agricultural policy is still rooted in the goal of self-sufficiency in grains, consumption patterns are changing fast towards high value agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables, livestock products and fish.
The policy environment is lagging behind the structural change occurring in India’s consumption and production basket. To develop the agriculture on commercial lines to achieve its accelerated growth rates, the issues of profitability is coming upfront.
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